Raising the Stakes in Ukraine -

  The New York Times

The U.S. organizes military aid for Ukraine, as Russia warns a proxy war could lead to nuclear war.

"The U.S. convened more than 40 allied countries today in an effort to organize more military and humanitarian aid for Ukraine, which is to include the first batch of heavy weapons from Germany.

“ 'The group will be a vehicle for nations of good will to intensify our efforts, coordinate our assistance and focus on winning today’s fight and the struggles to come,” said Lloyd Austin, the U.S. defense secretary, after the meeting at Ramstein Air Base in Germany.

"Responding to Austin’s declaration yesterday that the U.S. wants to weaken Russia’s military, Russia’s top diplomat accused the U.S. and its allies of pursuing a proxy war, and warned that their involvement could lead to nuclear war.

“ 'The risks are quite considerable,” said Russia’s foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov, in an interview on Russia’s state-run TV network. “I don’t want them to be blown out of proportion,” he added, but “the danger is serious, real — it must not be underestimated.”

"Germany — which never ruled out the supply of heavy weapons to Ukraine, but has found plenty of reasons not to allow their export — said it would send up to 50 armored antiaircraft vehicles. The announcement was both a surprise and a signal of a major potential shift, driven by pressure not only from the country’s conservative opposition but also from a group of government lawmakers.". . .

There are thousands of old rusted German tank hulls around Ukraine reminding us they have been there before when led by a Putin-type leader. TD

Companies that were very vocal about BLM support SILENT when asked about surging black murder rate

Shark Jump: Pelosi, Dems Mocked Over Ridiculous Photo Op Of Kneeling In African Garb

Companies that were very vocal about BLM support SILENT when asked about surging black murder rate (bizpacreview.com) 

At least 7,484 black Americans were murdered in 2019, according to FBI data the outlet reported April 19. That number swelled to at least 9,941 murders in 2020, indicating an increase of 2,457 black Americans murdered compared to the previous year.

"Fox News Digital attempted to gain some insight into the thinking of several companies that adamantly pledged support to the Black Lives Matter organization but have since fallen silent as the Marxist group itself is hoping the recent and enormous surge in black murders will disappear into American mythology.

"After two years of riots, looting and leftist imbecility that police departments be defunded in the wake of habitual criminal George Floyd’s death, FBI data find that murders among the black population spiked by 32 percent in 2020 as compared to the prior year, and by an astounding 43 percent when compared to the 10-year average, Fox News Digital reported earlier in April.". . .

. . ."The Equal Justice Initiative and the National Urban League are two notable proponents of the police defunding movement and the recipients of funds from such companies as Nike, Apple, Facebook, Amazon, Ben & Jerry’s, Nordstrom, Target, and Ulta, the outlet reported.". . .

Biden to Spend an Ungodly Amount of Money Building a Green Military

 Townhall

"Earth Day, which was created by a man who killed his girlfriend and composted her body in a closet, is over. Joe Biden had a special announcement to commemorate the occasion. Our military is going green. I’m not kidding. We’re going to spend an absurd amount of money retrofitting everything to have planet-friendly armed forces. You know that means a less efficient military. Take out the word ‘rapid’ when referring to our armed forces’ capabilities should this overhaul be successful. All I can say to this initiative is ‘Jesus, take the wheel’ (via Fox News):". . .

. . ."Our military is already unprepared for the threats we face. They’re being molded into a heap of woke weakness with all this diversity training. Who cares? This is the US military. The various capabilities at our disposal when it comes to annihilating our enemies are the only 'diversity training' our troops should have. That’s it. Who cares about race, gender, or pronouns when it comes to killing our enemies? Billions should be devoted to maintaining our massive air force, our naval assets, our heavy equipment, and research and development into new weapons systems. It shouldn’t be geared towards making sure our M1 Abrams tanks can run on vegetable oil. "

Biden admin's {Jen Psaki) cold, callous response to the death of a Texas guardsman protecting our border

 Biden admin's cold, callous response to the death of a Texas guardsman protecting our border - American Thinker   "As if anyone ever needed proof of the callousness and irresponsibility of the Biden administration regarding its open borders policy, White House spokesweasel Jen Psaki yesterday put everybody to rights."

Q: "Does the White House feel any responsibility" for the death of Texas National Guard Spc Bishop Evans?

Psaki: "The National Guard work for the states... and his efforts and operations were not directed by the federal government." pic.twitter.com/DMVhLfA9FR

— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) April 25, 2022

 White House Response to Dead National Guardsman on the Border Will Make Your Skin Crawl – RedState

. . .It is a tragedy that so many illegal immigrants are dying trying to make a journey they’ve been egged on into making by the Biden administration. The left doesn’t care about that though. They don’t live in border communities, and they see illegal immigrants as political pawns. It’s truly disgusting.

. . ."Yet, on the other side of this is the reality that Evans never should have been put in that position in the first place. The current border crisis has been caused and exacerbated by the Biden administration, and with its recent push to end Title 42 (thankfully, paused by a federal judge), the future only looks to be bleaker.

"Given that, you’d hope the White House would at least accept some responsibility for Evans’ death and perhaps even pledge to make some changes. Instead, Jen Psaki, when asked about the situation, gave an answer that will make your skin crawl.". . .

. . ."When I first saw that clip, I was gobsmacked. Yes, I know the president and his handlers are abject cowards who never admit their policies are getting people killed. Still, I expected the White House to dance around the issue rather than try to blame the State of Texas for Evans’ death. Further, Psaki ends by trying to blame other elected officials for not working with Biden on fixing the border, which is just an abject lie. Republicans (and even a few Democrats) have constantly pushed for more funding for border security. It is the administration that has refused to work with them.

"That kind of gross indifference borders on evil, in my opinion. It crosses several lines, and it tells you exactly what kind of person Joe Biden is and what kind of people work for him. There’s no papering over how grotesque it is for the White House to take zero responsibility for Evans’ death when given the opportunity to.". . .

Is it too much to hope this young man will be honored as the hero he is; that his valiant image will not be distorted by the race hustlers from Maxine Waters to MSNBC's Joy Reid.

More: Jen Psaki Blames Texas When Asked About Death of National Guardsman at the Border (legalinsurrection.com)   "Spencer Brown reports at Townhall:

Psaki Rejects Responsibility for Texas Guardsman’s Death, Blames Texas for Doing Biden’s Job

 

Who let the birds out!

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AfterMath - Home (terrellaftermath.com)

Are we being blindly optimistic about Elon Musk's Twitter takeover? - American Thinker

Elon Musk may just have discovered what is best in life - American Thinker 

Comment from Elon Musk:

. . ."Someone named Jameela Jamil, who is apparently famous, is certain that free speech will be unacceptably evil, so she's retiring from the site...after she shows off her dog:". . .

. . ."They recognize that, when anti-free speech despots control entirely the primary means of communication within a country, freedom is dying.  At this point, we can only hope that Musk, who is a genius visionary but also manages to believe in anthropogenic climate change, remains committed to free speech.  Currently, he's making the right noises:". . .hoping for the beat:

One man's point of view, hoping for the best:

John Rich

@johnrich gave the subject some snark to Hollywood:

·

16h

Satirical Babylon Bee couldn't let this pass!

Twitter A Pretty Pleasant Place To Work Now That All The Angry Leftists Are Quitting In Protest | The Babylon Bee

"Twitter is the best place to work right now," said Kurt Herald, a conservative coder who previously hid in the office basement. "I'm able to express opinions and talk about movies without being called racist and heteronormative. It's surreal."

Herald has since taken over the corner office vacated by his multi-colored hair compatriot who he wasn't sure was a man or woman"

 

Joe Biden Announces Green New Direction for US Military's Combined Assets

So by extension, "climate change" would have to be the "most serious existential threat" faced by Ukraine. And Israel. TD 

The Federalist   "The occasion was Earth Day. During remarks from Seward Park in Seattle, Washington, on Friday, President Joe Biden said the U.S. is spending billions of dollars to make “EVERY vehicle in the United States military … climate-friendly.”

"I guess Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was serious last year when he told Americans that climate change represented the "most serious existential threat we face."

"The occasion was Earth Day. During remarks from Seward Park in Seattle, Washington, on Friday, President Joe Biden said the U.S. is spending billions of dollars to make “EVERY vehicle in the United States military … climate friendly.”

BIDEN: “EVERY vehicle in the United States military, every vehicle, is going to be climate friendly.” pic.twitter.com/0fcnMKoOf0

— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) April 22, 2022

"I guess Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was serious last year when he told Americans that climate change represented the most serious existential threat we face."

To conclude:

. . ."The world is in crisis. The U.S. is in crisis. With hundreds of thousands of illegals pouring our open southern border, the surging crime in our cities, record inflation and Russian President Vladimir Putin threatening to launch a nuclear bomb, Democrats remain focused on the least-pressing issue of the day: climate change.

"If only they cared about U.S. national security as much as they care about crushing Republicans."

While on the subject:

Tesla Driver Killed After Car Comes to Stop on Highway (businessinsider.com)

Final report indicates teens killed in high speed Tesla wreck died in post-crash fire

Tesla police vehicle ran out of power during a car chase in California - ABC News (go.com)

Video: Psaki Says Trump Didn’t Fund Border Wall…

 Video: Psaki Says Trump Didn’t Fund Border Wall… | Weasel Zippers

PSAKI: "The former president invested billions of dollars in a border wall that was never going to work or be effective..."

That's not what Border Patrol agents say. pic.twitter.com/XUxG213KqG

— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) April 25, 2022

Jada Pinkett-Smith and Amber Heard Make Me Question: Why Is No One Talking About 'Toxic Femininity'?

  RedState Jennifer Oliver O'Connell 

What gets tossed out with the damage that feminism and the Trans agenda has done to gender roles, is how a woman can not only build up her husband, but in doing so, safeguard and build a strong marriage. Proverbs 14:1 says, “Every wise woman builds her house, but a foolish one tears it down with her own hands.” That tearing down can be as explosive as the Depp-Heard marriage, or the brick-by-brick erosion of the Smith

 . . ."I have had people who attempted to squelch my success and marginalize some of my greatest moments. I cannot imagine being married to that type of person. Most of America is fixated on “The Slap,” Will Smith’s apology, his resignation from the Academy, and being banned from the Academy Awards for 10 years.

"But the media accounts focus on Jada Pinkett-Smith’s being the butt of the joke or being the person Smith was “protecting.”

"My question is, Why wasn’t Jada protecting Will? This was the greatest moment of his acting career, and with one look from her, he took an un-called for action that threw it all away.

"That’s toxic femininity. That’s not a woman looking for protection, she is looking to destroy.

"And Pinkett-Smith did. The damage continues to roll out with every video of past interviews and interactions, and probably will for years. This is what people will remember about what used to be considered a great, Black American success story and a fine acting career. Any good woman would not have allowed for it to happen. That good woman would have reigned Smith in, because there is a moment and a time for every work, and what happened that Oscar evening wasn’t it.

"Pinkett-Smith is not a woman who is interested in being protected or interested in protecting anyone else. In marriage, you have the best interest of your husband and family in the forefront. Pinkett-Smith only sought to serve her own interest.". . .

Joe Biden Trespassed at US Capitol, Was Arrested and Let Go — Now He Holds Hundreds of Trump Supporters in Jail Without Trial for Very Same Crime

 The Gateway Pundit

. . ."FOX News reported in February 2021 on Biden’s remarks:

In a 2007 TV interview with David Letterman, then-Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., claimed he was arrested at the U.S. Capitol when he was 21 years old.

Letterman asked Biden what it was like to walk into the U.S. Senate chamber after being elected at the age of 29.

Whoops! We couldn’t access this Tweet.

Biden said he had actually walked into the Senate chamber when he was 21 and got arrested.

“In those days, no guards stopping you everywhere. And they just got out of session. I walked in the back, all of the sudden I found myself in the chamber. I was stunned. I walked up, sat down in the presiding officer’s seat, guy grabbed by the shoulder, said: ‘you’re under arrest,’” Biden said.

“Literally nine years later, as I walked onto the Senate floor through the same door, that same guy, cop, said to me, ‘Senator, you remember me?’ I said, ‘geez, I don’t.’ He said, ‘I arrested you nine years ago…welcome back.’

"TGP reported on this in July 2021.". . .

Top-level US officials make secret visit to Ukraine to meet with President Zelensky |

 Speaking to the people who sneaked out of Afghanistan in the dead of night...

'You can't come to us empty-handed today': Zelensky tells Anthony Blinken and Lloyd Austin in visit to Ukraine that he needs 'specific weapons' from the US; Daily Mail Online

"The U.S. secretaries of state and defense are making a secret visit to Ukraine to meet with President Volodymyr Zelensky as he calls for more powerful weapons to fight Russian forces.

"Anthony Blinken and Lloyd Austin met with Zelensky in Ukraine on Sunday - 13 days after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson won plaudits for flying to the war-torn nation and walking the streets of Kyiv with Zelensky.

"Joe Biden has made no such-attempt to show solidarity with his own in-person visit, and his press secretary Jen Psaki has said there are no plans for the 79-year-old to travel there. 

"Zelensky said he was looking for the Americans to produce results, both in arms and security guarantees. 

' 'You can't come to us empty-handed today, and we are expecting not just presents or some kind of cakes, we are expecting specific things and specific weapons,' he said before the arrival of Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

"Sunday night's meeting marks the highest-level visit to the war-torn country's capital by an American delegation since the start of Russia's invasion.". . .

Next: A touch of irony, don't you think?

Kyiv keeps supply chains open amid defense (kyivindependent.com)

Liberal Corporations Are Confused and Scared Because Conservatives Now Fight Back

 

Liberal Corporations Are Confused and Scared Because Conservatives Now Fight Back (townhall.com)  I"t’s always fun when progressive jerks try to leverage their bizarre perceptions of our beliefs to get us to do what they want. It can be some smug Twitter blue check informing us that “Actually Jesus was a socialist who would want us to cancel student debt for spoiled rich kids who got degrees in Transgender Visual Arts” or, more recently, some newly-minted Milton Friedman acolyte goofsplaining that we must submit to the skeevy whims of California corporations and accept the imposition of grooming mandates because, after all, they are private businesses. And sometimes it works, even on alleged conservatives – David French has made whatever passes for his C-list career out of striving to twist conservatism to conform to his lib masters’ version of it. 

"But this cheesy ploy is not working anymore, at least not on the rest of us. 

"Ron DeSantis, the Scourge of Odd sitting on his growing throne o’ skulls in Tallahassee, is fresh from laughing off the howls of broken libs enraged that he gerrymandered them in Florida like they gerrymandered us in New York and Illinois. Ron is not one for accepting two sets of rules, one for the ruling caste and another, crappier one for us peasants. He identifies the applicable rule, and applies it good and hard. It’s about time the left learns that norm-breaking has consequences. And one consequence is frequent broken-norm suppositories. 

"Disney found out the hard way for the same reason as other woke corporations will. These CEOs, who appear to be ruthless robber barons in business, encounter a bunch of their own blue-haired, pierced subordinates who think a penis is irrelevant to determining their gender and suddenly these executives roll-over and give it up so cravenly that even Mitt Romney would look at them and mutter “Get a spine!' ”. . .

Former McDonald’s CEO Organizes “The Boardroom Initiative” to Fight Woke Corporations (legalinsurrection.com)

“Corporations have no business being on the right or the left because they represent everybody there and their sole job is to build equity for their investors”

Franklin Graham Fires: Disney Corporate Leadership’s Morals Are ‘In The Gutter’ | The Daily Wire

Has Woke Worn Out Its Welcome for Some Lefties?

 

Toons added by TD

Has Woke Worn Out Its Welcome for Some Lefties? – PJ Media. . ."COVID-19 isn’t the only plague that this country has been dealing with these past couple of years. Woke wandered away from college campuses and infected almost every area of life, including the boardrooms of corporate America.

"We’ve seen a lot of culture wars on the woke battlefield play out and it often seems as if the lunatic fringe that starts the fights is prevailing. That’s just because they’re loud. Like shrieking toddlers during a tantrum.

"Upon closer examination, however, the woke crowd may not be doing that well.

"There was the Joe Rogan/Spotify drama, where the rage mob tried to get the latter to nuke the former and lost. In fact, all the wokies really accomplished was getting Neil Young to leave the platform, thus sparing the ears of all its subscribers.

Even bigger was the backlash against woke school curricula that flipped Virginia from blue to red last year.

"We have some recent, prominent examples of woke weariness setting in a little. Chris wrote a post on Sunday about the latest not-so-comedic incarnation of the once-funny Jon Stewart:.. . . . ."